Jodie Foster’s Golden Globes speech revealed the scars of a young gay kid

Jodie Foster made her first public ‘coming out’ speech at the Golden Globes (Picture: Getty)

‘I wanna be seen, to be understood deeply and to be not so very lonely,’ the words of an unprovoked Jodie Foster, a woman who seemingly has it all, bearing her soul at the Golden Globes.

As different factions of politics and religion globe over bitch fight about gay marriage, Foster sacrificed her life-long scars, at the age of 50, as proof of what young gay people and children are left to bear.

For those watching, the question begged why is this show pony pulling out her gay card and sop story on this very night?

Because it mattered so deeply to the ‘fragile girl’ that she referred to. The girl she said who ‘would open up to trusted friends and family and co-workers and then gradually proudly to everyone who knew her.’

The child who battled and navigated her way through a hostile, unwelcoming and religion-driven society that was told she was innately wrong and was led to believe she was so shameful that she should hide herself and never be allowed to have the loving family she dreamed of with the person she loved.

At 50, sure Foster can take the debate that rages on the chin. But she gulped hard remembering that scared, terrified, innocent kid, who probably lay shivering in a bed at night crying, fearing what future she could possibly have and how anyone would love her.

A colossal reality of gay youth, completely omitted from the gay marriage debate of today. If you asked most grown LGBT people they probably, honestly, don’t give a stuff if they are allowed to marry or not. We have civil partnerships. It’s effectively the same.

Instead it’s an outrage that the debate still breathes life into that hostile environment that young gay children are still forced to grow up in today – one that claims that gay people are slightly wrong and slightly undeserving of rights.

The focus of debate should start with the children. The young gay children, with no emotional tools or skills to self-validate, the ones reading the anti-gay headlines as they discover themselves, seeing the protests in the streets of Paris against them. Fragile girls and boys that Jodie Foster was talking about.

While scarred gay people hold their own as adults, remember every unsupported word that is uttered against the gay community is heard, digested and interpreted the best way those gay kids know how.

It can be a lonely and at times almost intolerable journey being a gay kid. A journey many kids of those who rally against equal marriage, will be going through. Hearing their parents spout at the dinner table.

They’ll make it out OK but like Jodie, when the clock strikes 50, they’ll still be on the hunt for that elusive validation and acceptance that was never served at dinner.

Jodie finally got to bury the pain of that girl’s long journey in front of the people society told her she should never know or love – her modern family.

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